TIGERS NOTES: Larry Parrish back for third stint as manager of the Mud Hens

FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2009, file photo, Toledo Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish looks on from the Detroit Tigers dugout during an American League baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Detroit. The Atlanta Braves have named Larry Parrish as their new hitting coach on Friday, Oct. 29, 2010. The 56-year-old Parrish had been manager of Detroit's Triple-A team in Toledo since 2003. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

DETROIT — It’s always good to get a scouting report on things from your minor league affiliates.
Sometimes, it’s not bad to get a scouting report of the guys who will be giving you a scouting report, either.
The brother of Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, himself a Toledo-area native, is a regular at Toledo Mud Hens games, and praised the organization’s choice to bring back Larry Parrish for a third stint as the manager of its Triple-A affiliate.
“I think he had some success down there at Toledo before, and I know they really liked him. My brother said they really liked him. ... I know for a fact that ... because he won there, he’s a real popular guy,” Leyland said Wednesday, after the organization announced the move.
“He’s terrific. I think the world of Larry Parrish. I think he’s an outstanding baseball man. He’s a great evaluator. I think he’s an outstanding baseball guy ... and a great guy. I really enjoy being around him. He was always very nice to me, and respectful.”
Parrish has already had two successful stints as the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, the Triple-A affiliate for the Detroit Tigers, and he’ll start a new one next spring.
The organization announced Wednesday that the 59-year-old Parrish had been hired as the next manager of the Mud Hens, replacing Phil Nevin, whose contract was not renewed at the end of the 2013 minor league season.
“As a manager, he’s a great teacher and I know we’ll see improvement in player development,” Toledo general manager Joe Napoli said in the Tigers’ news release. “For our fans, he’s always been a favorite, they will be glad to welcome him back.”
Parrish had been the manager of the Tigers Class A West Michigan affiliate this past season, after one full season as the hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves.
A two-time All-Star in his playing days for the Expos, Rangers and Red Sox, Parrish began coaching in the Tigers organization in 1992. He was added to Buddy Bell’s big-league staff as the bench coach for the Tigers in 1997, then succeeded the fired Bell late in the 1998 season, before getting the full-time job in 1999.
Parrish managed the Mud Hens in 1994 then again from 2003 to 2010, before spending a year as the Atlanta Braves’ hitting coach in 2011. He led Toledo to International League titles in 2005 and 2006, earning IL Manager of the Year and Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year honors in 2005. He was named to the IL Hall of Fame this season.
Toledo’s pitching coach under Nevin, A.J. Sager, was moved to the organization’s role as roving pitching coordinator, switching places with the man who held that role this season, Al Nipper.
Leon “Bull” Durham will return for 14th season as Toledo’s hitting coach.Alvarez saves Tigers’ depleted bullpen
The Tigers went into Tuesday’s game without the services of their closer, Joaquin Benoit, and one of their key set-up men, Drew Smyly. Considering they were facing a lefty-laden lineup in the Mariners, that was probably going to mean a solid dose of lefties Phil Coke and Jose Alvarez.
Both pitched, but it wasn’t how anyone probably expected.
When Coke had control issues and loaded the bases (thanks, as well to an error on what may have been a double-play ball), Leyland called on Alvarez to get the Tigers out of the jam. Facing a right-hander in Seattle catcher Mike Zunino.
“That was a little unusual, to say the least. But I just liked the matchup better, because of the pitches, and the control a little bit better,” said manager Jim Leyland, explaining he didn’t want to bring a righty in, because the M’s would counter with the speedy Endy Chavez, who is next to impossible to double up.
After an 11-pitch at-bat, Alvarez got Zunino to bounce into a double play, second-to-short-to-first. But it was by a narrow, narrow margin.
“Obviously, I was trying for a groundball,” Alvarez said. “That was a good AB for the hitter -- a couple good pitches foul. ... If we don’t make the play in that situation, it costs us the game maybe, but we make it and we take the win.”
It was a huge sigh of relief for the manager.
“We were very fortunate, to be honest with you. Normally, when a hitter sees that many pitches, he hits it hard somewhere. So they were going back, doubling up on fastballs, doubling up on change-ups, then a fastball. So it was very tricky. Fortunately, we came out of it, and he did a good job. He executed a pitch, and got the double play, but I was really nervous about it,” Leyland said.
“That was a helluva double play. I didn’t think we were going to get it. The longer that at-bat went, the more nervous I got. I thought we were in trouble. We got out of it.”
The Tigers’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Alvarez had already proven his worth to the team before, filling in capably when Anibal Sanchez missed starts with a sore shoulder. This was a new role for the young lefty, though, who has primarily been a starter in his eight-year minor league career. The 24-year-old made 20 starts for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens this season.
“He’s kind of an interesting guy. He doesn’t seem to get too rattled, too excited. I put him in a tough position last night. I didn’t like that match-up, the lefty against the righty,” Leyland said.
“But he doesn’t seem to get too excited. He’s got a real good feel for pitching, without overpowering stuff. And in most cases, he’s got good control. A left-hander with good control, a very useable fastball, a very useable breaking ball, and an excellent change-up, that’s got some merit to it.”Matthew B. Mowery covers the Tigers for Digital First Media. Read his “Out of Left Field” blog at opoutofleftfield.blogspot.com.

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Detroit Tigers beat writer for The Oakland Press in Pontiac, Michigan. Mowery has spent 18 years covering sports, from preps to pros. He’s been honored with more than 25 awards for writing. Reach the author at matt.mowery@oakpress.com
or follow Matthew B. on Twitter: @MatthewBMowery.